TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY WEDNESDAY 

TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY WEDNESDAY 

1. Tinubu Appoints New Coordinator For National Counter-Terrorism Centre

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Major-General Adamu Garba Laka (rtd) as the new National Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre.

In a statement on Tuesday by the presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, the centre is under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA)

The statement said General Laka served in various capacities in the North-East, Nigeria, where he deployed tactical means to degrade terrorist groups.

It said General Laka also served in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo under the United Nations and was part of the Nigerian contingent in the US AFRICOM exercise in Senegal.

According to the statement, General Laka holds Master’s Degrees in National Security from the National Defence University, Pakistan, and in International Affairs and Strategic Studies, Nigerian Defence Academy.

The President anticipated that General Laka will bring his vast experience into this critical role to effectively remove security threats through pre-emptive, proactive, and diligent counter-terrorism coordination.

2. CBN Increases Interest Rate To 24.75%

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has raised the Monetary Policy Rate, which benchmarks interest rates, from 22.75 percent to 24.75 percent.

The CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, disclosed this on Tuesday at the 294th meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) press briefing in Abuja.

The MPR is the baseline interest rate in an economy, every other interest rate used within the economy is built on it.

The apex bank boss said the move was to ensure that the country’s rising inflation rate, which stood at 31.70 per cent in February, was moderated.

Cardoso stated that the MPC raised the interest rate by 200 basis points as efforts to tackle rising inflation.

3. We Prosecuted Over 29,000 Criminal Cases In One Year – Police

The Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday disclosed that it prosecuted about 29,052 criminal cases in one year.

Making this disclosure in a statement by Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the force disclosed that 17,676 of the cases of the 29,052 cases treated have been concluded while 11,378 cases were still undergoing trial.

Adejobi further disclosed that 16,200 of the 17,676 concluded cases resulted in the conviction of the suspects.

4. Nigeria Is Not The Poorest Country In The World, No Beggars On My Street – Former Governor, Aliyu

Former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, has rejected claims that Nigeria is the poorest country in the world.

Aliyu noted that Nigeria has so many negative narratives attached to it and if they are not stopped it would infringe on the positive things the country plans on doing.

Aliyu shared his concerns at the National Spokespersons Summit organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations on Tuesday in Abuja.

He stated that his country home in Nupe land has no street beggars, adding that Nigerians at the sublevel still have strong values.

He queried the value system in the country asking if it’s “true that we never had value as a country? We might have had values as a community, maybe as a tribe to say.

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5. Gumi Confirms Meeting With Security Agencies, Reveals Outcome

Controversial Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has confirmed security agencies invited him over his comments on the activities of bandits in the country.

The Minister of Information and Orientation, Mohammed Idris, on Monday, revealed that Gumi had been invited over some of his remarks.

The minister said Gumi was not above the law and would be interrogated if security agencies deemed his comments reckless.

This comes after Gumi continued his advocacy for amnesty for bandits in a recent radio interview, saying that many took to banditry because of alleged neglect and marginalisation from the government.

The cleric has been photographed with various bandit groups on numerous occasions, while some Nigerians have called on security agencies to arrest him over his alleged ties with terrorist groups.

In a post on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Gumi said he had a productive interaction with security agencies who invited him over his alleged connections with bandits.

The cleric stated that his meeting with the security agents centred on how to curb banditry in the North West region of the country.

6. ‘It Is Not Our Responsibility To Regulate Binance’ – CBN Governor Cardoso Explains Position On Binance

The Central Bank Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, has stated that although the Security and Exchange Commission regulates Binance, the Central Bank has consistently shared information about the platform with other Nigerian government agencies.

Cardoso revealed this during the press briefing of the 294th Monetary Policy Commission Meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday.

He clarified that the matters concerning detained Binance executives were the responsibility of the National Security Adviser.

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Cardoso, during the 293rd MPC session, raised concerns about the transfer of $26 billion from undisclosed sources through Binance over a one-year period, resulting in months of confrontation between Nigeria and the platform.

7. List Of New Nigerian Ambassadors, Designations Fake – Presidency

The Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, has described as fake news a purported list of new Nigerian Ambassadors.

A purported list of new Nigerian Ambassadors and their assigned countries went viral on social media on Tuesday.

In a statement on his X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Tinubu’s aide said the names in circulation are merely a copy of an outdated 2017 list.

Olusegun added that most of those mentioned in the fake list have already retired from their diplomatic duties.

He wrote: “The alleged LIST OF NEW NIGERIAN AMBASSADORS AND THEIR ASSIGNED COUNTRIES circulating online is fake.

“This list is merely a copy of an outdated 2017 list, where most of the individuals mentioned have already retired from their diplomatic duties.”

8. Delta Bloodbath: Military Must Avoid ‘See Finish Syndrome’ During Operations – Irabor

Ex-Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.), has stressed the importance of the military avoiding the “see-finish” syndrome during non-kinetic operations.

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He also suggested further review and discussions regarding the killings of soldiers in Delta State.

Irate youths killed a total of 17 military personnel, comprising four officers and 13 soldiers, during a communal clash over a land dispute in Bomadi and Okuoma communities in the state.

The 181 Amphibious Battalion personnel, who were responding to a distress call, were ambushed and killed on March 14.

Irabor, speaking at the Chief of Defence Staff Joint Task Force Commanders Conference in Abuja on Tuesday, condemned the gruesome manner in which the military personnel were killed, stating that there was no justification for such actions.

He emphasized the importance of discussing limitations on aid to civil authority to prevent a similar incident from happening again.

9. Ondo APC Governorship Aspirant, Akintelure Is Dead

One of the prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirants for the upcoming governorship election in Ondo State, Paul Akintelure, has reportedly died.

According to Vanguard, prior to his unfortunate demise, Akintelure had voiced his concerns regarding the various threats, both direct and indirect, that he had been facing.

However, despite his optimism that the alleged threats will subside and things will get better, Akuntelure, gave up the ghost as the date for the APC governorship primary election, set for April 25, drew near.

Akintelure, who hails from Igbotako in the Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, previously ran as the deputy governorship candidate for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) alongside Rotimi Akeredolu, the former governor of Ondo State.

10. Mamu Threatens To Sue AGF Fagbemi Over Terrorism Financier Claim

Tukur Mohammed Mamu, implicated in a high-profile terrorism financing case, has issued a stern warning of impending legal action against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

This threat is in response to allegations labelling him as a financier of terrorism.

Mamu, through his legal representative, J.J. Usman (SAN), articulated his grievances in a letter dated March 25, 2024.

The communication, which also engaged the CEO of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), demanded the retraction of a contentious publication.

He has given a seven-day ultimatum for this retraction, failing which he intends to pursue legal remedies.

The crux of Mamu’s contention lies in a declaration made by the Nigerian Sanctions Committee, under the auspices of the justice ministry, which classified him as a “terrorist financier.”

He decries this label as not only defamatory but also a gross violation of the principles of natural justice.